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I wouldn't mind some more vids on some of the series of knives you carry... maybe some of Suisin knives or an overview of all the Gesshin knives you've had so far, particularly the Hides.

As far as techiniques - finish polishing is always cool to see. I can finish a knife and make it look very nice... but not quite the pro finish that I would expect if I sent the knife off for sharpening. Getting that last 5-10% has been a bit frustrating.

As UglyJoe says, I think it would be interesting to see the final stage of sharpening a knife. Just to pick up any techniques you use in terms of any particular motions, how much pressure you use, how long you spend on the finishing stones and that sort of thing. Just basically any little things you do that others might miss to really make the final edge the best it could possibly be. In the poll you said a lot of the time you don't strop so this is an area I think a lot of people can improve on

there are some subjects of sharpening i cant really show or talk about as they are trade secrets from the craftsmen i train with, but i can go over other things.

On the not stropping, the truth is that no matter whether you strop or not, you should have your edge almost 99% clean off of the stones anyways, through adjustments in pressure (both location, amount, and timing) and angle. Only then will you be getting the most from your stones and strops. So, for instance, with burrs and wire edges, they can be abraded away on the stones until they are completely or nearly gone (you can even use the high angle microbevel techniques to help minimize wire edge issues).

how about some videos on some of the more specialized/ less common knifes like kiritsuke, takobiki, fugubiki, usubiki. either a demo on usage or show/ highlight special points these knives.

honestly, everytime i do something like that it just encourages people who should not be buying those knives to buy them... over time, i do plan to show techniques with some of these knives, but i will probably have it be a part of Japanese Knife Society as opposed to my personal videos. That way, i can make sure the techniques are demonstrated clearly and correctly, and i can make sure to take the time to explain why these knives are used and in what cases they should not be used. Kiritsuke is one of the most common knives i have this problem with... it has been marketed to users in the US as an all purpose knife. However, what it really is, is a combination of an usuba and yanaigba. So it is there for dual duty of vegetable work and fish slicing work in japanese cuisine. It is not a replacement for a gyuto. Similarly, i often have people ask about fugubiki as replacements for yanagiba. If it were such a good idea, i think it would be a lot more common in Japan. There are a number of reasons that the yanagiba is used instead of the fugubiki for the majority of fish slicing.

If it would be of interest to you guys, i would be happy to either type up something or do a video where i can explain issues like this. I can also cover what the knives are used for in something like that.

I suppose you are right, I guess your video could educate people why they shouldn't be buying those knives instead of the yanagiba or usuba. Thing is that most people, me included, dont much much if any expose to those knives. It would just be very educational to know more about them.

Oh, and perhaps you could do an "unboxing" video of a big box of knives/ or stones when you get a shipment. I am sure some would be interested in that too.

i really hope that last post didnt come across as rude... i just feel very strongly about making sure my customers are well educated and informed when it comes to the knives they are looking at. Anyways, maybe a video like that would be useful. I'll see what i can do.

As far as an unboxing, i should be able to do that... i've got packages coming non-stop for the next few weeks

well i'm glad i dont come across too harsh... its a difficult balance between doing what i think is right and just listening to what the customer wants... more often than not, i tend to err on the side of doing what i think is right... i look at it as a benefit of working for myself

In all honesty though, i've spent a lot of time learning and training (and i continue to do so with the craftsmen and chefs in Japan as well as with chefs here in the US), and i believe that my experience gives me a unique perspective to help people find something that is a good fit for them (the task at hand, personal preference, work environment, etc.). Most of the time, it works out to be something they also really want, but sometimes i find myself trying to convince people of what is best for them. I have yet to hear back from someone that i was just totally off base (knock on wood). However, I also do my best to explain various aspects of the knives and stones i sell so that the customers have a very good idea of what will be coming their way. It might help that i've used at least one thing from every line and maker we carry (I call it "product testing" so my wife doesnt kill me ).